New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association Inc.

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4x4: Whanganui's Hamish Auret finishes fourth and slips out of title picture

February 11, 2019

The NZ crown is now beyond his
reach but Whanganui driver Hamish Auret has plenty left to drive for in
the 2018-19 4x4 National Trials after a hot and hard afternoon in the
Waikato on Saturday.

Auret and
co-driver Paul Barnes finished fourth both overall and in D-Class at
the Whatawhata course near Hamilton, in blistering hot conditions where
12 of the 44 trucks were unable to complete the 28 obstacles.

The pair also had a scary moment where they rolled on one obstacle and
Barnes suffered a knock to the head, feeling unwell for the rest of the
round and ultimately having to get medical clearance from the St John's
ambulance staff to continue.

"He certainly didn't want to back up after that either," said Auret.

"He's as tough as old boots."

Normally Auret would appreciate the challenging obstacles which had
been set for the course, thanks to the advantage in power from his
7.0-litre Corvette engine.

However, the extreme heat in the Waikato countryside was taking its toll
on men and machines waiting in the valley's, where the sun-baked ground
was rock hard.

"It was like rolling down on concrete. It was a day to drive and survive," said Auret, who kept up a steady intake of fluids.